Millwall’s EFL Cup tie against Fulham was an unwelcome distraction – Sheffield United clash is the priority
Bryan 7 De La Torre 51 Christie 68
BY RICHARD CAWLEY AT THE DEN
Tuesday’s night’s EFL Cup tie was – if truth be told – an unwelcome diversion for Millwall as they look to get their Championship campaign back on track.
Their midweek exertions were in vain as they were knocked out of the competition by a Fulham side who were too strong in every single department.
And the secondary blow is that it did not allow manager Neil Harris to have a full week on the training pitch to prepare for Sheffield United.
The league is the priority for the Lions. It always has been. It always will be.
Harris has spoken in recent weeks of trying to find a winning formula for his team, whose loss of form is down to a combination of factors.
The departure of George Saville, such a driving force in the middle of the park, was a significant blow.
So too was losing the assured touch of Shaun Hutchinson, who gives the backline extra composure, with a knee injury. So when you also have too many players not hitting last season’s performance levels, it spells trouble.
Chasing Fulham around The Den pitch was never likely to help solve any of the issues which need to be resolved.
Millwall were unable to include Ryan Leonard and Tom Bradshaw, both cup-tied after action for Sheffield United and Barnsley before their switches to South London.
Harris made eight changes, two less than Slavisa Jokanovic.
But the quality of Fulham’s side smacked of the depth levels they enjoy in the Premier League.
Andre-Frank Anguissa bossed the midfield in one of the most commanding displays seen by an opposition player in years.
Sprinkled around established performers like Tim Ream, Kevin McDonald and Joe Bryan was the vibrancy and verve of youngsters like Luca De La Torre and Steven Sessegnon.
The visitors’ quick movement of the ball and quality of touch made the first 45 minutes incredibly difficult for the Lions to get close to their opponents.
What was more surprising was the way Millwall were easily bulldozed off the ball.
The tie could have been over by the break. Bryan had ended one incisive attack by rifling Fulham ahead and Ben Amos made two further saves from De La Torre to prevent Millwall from sinking.
Harris changed shape at the start of the second half, matching up and playing three centre-backs, but De La Torre quickly made it 2-0.
Millwall had not produced the type of moments – thudding challenges or goalmouth incident – to get the home support on their feet.
But they are usually only a set-piece away from a goal which puts them back into a contest and it duly arrived – Tom Elliott being awarded it on the night although Lee Gregory later claimed a touch on his header.
Two of Millwall’s last three goals have been from set-pieces.
Gregory and Mahlon Romeo were both stretching but crucially shy of converting Aiden O’Brien’s low cross soon after.
And Fulham slammed the door on a comeback when Cyrus Christie produced a peach of a left-footed curler beyond the helpless Amos.
“I said to them in the dressing room: ‘Did everybody do enough tonight to warrant a place on Saturday?’ It wasn’t harsh words, just a serious question and just a little thinking time for the players,” said Harris.
The truth is that there are few of the squad who could have a genuine gripe if they were to lose their spot for Saturday.
The summer signings have yet to step in and significantly improve Millwall’s side, something that happened almost instantly last season with the permanent captures of Jed Wallace, James Meredith, Jake Cooper and Saville in particular.
That’s not to say they won’t contribute soon. Or that you could expect the same leap forward in improving the squad, that isn’t realistic.
But Jiri Skalak has looked off the pace and his underwhelming first half in midweek saw him dragged at the break.
The former Brighton winger has looked pedestrian in possession and not produced the kind of quality deliveries that Ben Marshall provided in the second half of the 2018-19 season.
IMAGES BY BRIAN TONKS